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Residential Sprinklers

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Home sprinkler systems respond quickly to reduce the heat, flames and smoke from a fire, giving families valuable time to get to safety.

Despite the effectiveness of smoke alarms in saving lives, approximately 3,000 people in the United States die in home fires each year, accounting for 80 percent of all fire deaths

By comparison, an average 26 people in Ontario die in residential fires annually. Based on population percentages, that is 200 times as many deaths as in the USA

In reported home fires, the risk of dying decreases by 80 percent when sprinklers are present

People in homes with sprinklers are protected against significant property loss - sprinklers reduce the average property loss by 74 percent per fire

Any resulting water damage from the sprinkler will be much less severe than the damage caused by water from fire-fighting hose lines. On average, home fire sprinkler systems use about eight times less water than fire hoses

Home fire sprinklers are affordable.

The Fire Protection Research Foundation recently issued the Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment report, which demonstrated that the cost of installing home fire sprinklers averages US$1.61 per square foot for new construction.

Many people pay similar amounts for upgrades such as carpeting, stone driveways or whirlpool baths

Homes with fire sprinklers are selling faster than those without fire sprinkler systems

Installation of home sprinklers can help residents cut homeowner insurance premiums and help qualify homes for tax rebates

Home fire sprinklers act independently from smoke alarms.

Each individual sprinkler is designed and calibrated to go off when it senses a significant heat change.

Home fire sprinklers do not operate in response to smoke, burned toast, cooking vapours, steam or an activating smoke alarm

Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire

Roughly 90 percent of the time, just one sprinkler operates

Ontario Building Code

In Ontario, legislators recognize the effectiveness of sprinklers and as a result, the Building Code has been amended in 2010 to make sprinkler installation in multi residential buildings over three stories tall mandatory. Home fire sprinklers give you added protection from fire and peace of mind. Ask your builder about installing sprinklers in your home. More information on home fire sprinklers can be found from the National Fire Protection Association at www.firesprinklerinitiative.org and from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition at www.homefiresprinkler.org